Video of child kissing photo cushion of father who died last month goes viral

The videos of a child kissing, hugging and talking to a photo cushion of his father and a pillow covered with a shirt that was last used by his father tugged at netizens' hearts, according to Katrina Son's report on "State of the Nation."

In one video posted on TikTok, the child can be seen talking and kissing the pillow that bears the photo of his father, who died last December 2023 due to Ludwig's Angina.

The child's mother decided to make a photo cushion and wrap another pillow with the last shirt that was used by her husband. She decided to make these for Yvo, who kept on looking for his father.

In the video, her caption reads, "Hanap ng hanap si Yvo sa Papa Mikee nya kaya nilagay ko yung huling damit niya na sinuot sa unan."

"I'm not expecting na ganito ang magiging reaction ni Yvo."

In an interview, Ara Andus said Yvo talks to the photo cushion and does the thumbs up hand signal.

"Na sad din ako kasi, sobrang miss na miss ni Yvo si Papa Mikee niya. Hindi pa kasi niya alam ang concept ng pagkawala o pagkamatay," she said.

Cause of death

Last November, Mikee had a fever, a painful throat, and had a swollen right cheek.

After a medical consultation, they were told he had a bacterial infection. Mikee made several trips to the doctor until it was found that he suffered from Ludwig's Angina – an infection that arose from a toothache.

Mikee underwent surgery to remove the infected tooth and abscess. However, during the operation Mikee had cardiac arrest, was comatose for one month and died last December 17.

Ludwig's Angina

An expert said, in an interview, Ludwig's Angina could be fatal if left untreated.

"Ito ay isang impeksyon na nagsisimula sa mandibular posterior teeth o ipin natin sa baba that has spread throughout our bloodstream," said Dr. Albert Espiritu, EOIC owner.

"Basically, it starts in the oral cavity kaya ito tinawag na Ludwig's Angina," he added.

The possible causes of Ludwig's angina include tooth decay, fractured jaw, and tongue piercing.

Some of the symptoms are: toothache, swollen cheek, difficulty in swallowing, and fever.

Espiritu advised, to avoid this condition, one should have a regular dental check up to check for cavities as the condition starts with a dental cavity.

Life lesson

Ara Andus, the widow of Mikee, said the people can pick up a lesson from their story.

"Lesson din ito sa lahat na, sobrang igsi lang ng buhay. Parang enjoyin niyo, pakita niyo sa family niyo, sa mga mahal niyo sa buhay na mahal niyo sila," she said. — BAP, GMA Integrated News